Latin America

• Saturday, December 17th 2016 - 16:48 UTC

  Raul Castro's Cuba allows farmers to hire workers directly

  

  The Cuban government Friday allowed farmers to hire workers directly and no longer have to go to cooperatives in a step to set aside strict controls on their economy to boost production for a country which imports more than two-thirds of its food. In other areas of the economy, such as restaurants, Cuba has already allowed small business owners to hire their staff directly.

• Friday, December 16th 2016 - 23:59 UTC

  Google, Cuba close deal to improve speed of internet connection

  

  Google and Cuba's state-owned telecommunications company Etecsa signed an agreement to improve the speed of access to Google products on the Internet, which means an improvement in Internet access on the island, where Google first landed in 2014.

• Thursday, December 15th 2016 - 08:28 UTC

  Colombia's FARC expels five commanders who rejected demobilization; fears they will turn to criminal gangs

  

  Colombia's FARC rebels have expelled five commanders for refusing to demobilize and join a peace process with the government aimed at ending more than five decades of war, guerrilla leadership said. The five commanders, all from units in the country's southeast jungle, include one former participant in four-year-long peace talks in Cuba.

• Wednesday, December 14th 2016 - 15:24 UTC

  Double taxation: Ecuador, Italy sign agreement to foster private investements

  

  Ecuador signed an agreement with Italy to define the tax obligations of the citizens of the two countries, in order to avoid double taxation on income taxes and equity and prevent tax evasion, the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry said.

• Wednesday, December 14th 2016 - 09:21 UTC

  Yesterday Colombia, now Venezuela closes border with Brazil

  

  The government of President Nicolas Maduro government closed the border with Brazil for 72 hours for the same reason it had taken the same measure with Colombia: money smuggling, Brazilian local authorities and residents of southern Venezuela who routinely cross to Brazil where they can make transactions in bolivars confirmed.

• Wednesday, December 14th 2016 - 08:32 UTC

  Maduro/Vazquez address Mercosur conflict; 'uninvited' Venezuelan minister expected in Buenos Aires

  

  On the eve of Argentina becoming the next chair of Mercosur, Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro revealed he held an hour long video conference with his Uruguayan peer Tabare Vazquez and they both agreed in building a path “to channel the current conflict”, which has Venezuela suspended from the group, but is rejected point blank by Caracas.

• Tuesday, December 13th 2016 - 10:45 UTC

  Cuba, Europe normalize relations after 20 years

  

  Cuba and the Eurpean Union Monday signed in Brussels their first cooperation agreement, which will be from now on the legal basis of the link between the island and the 28 EU countries.

• Sunday, December 11th 2016 - 23:14 UTC

  Peru's Air Force Mi-8/17 helicopters secure spares from Russia as of next year

  

  The Russian Helicopters holding came out the winning bidder on supply of spare parts for Mi-8/17 helicopters of Peru’s Air Force and will start deliveries next year, Executive Director of the company Grigoriy Kozlov said on Friday. The company also plans to build a pilot training center in Peru next year, it was announced.

• Saturday, December 10th 2016 - 17:44 UTC

  Cuba and Russia sign defence cooperation agreement

  

  The Vicepresident of the Council of Ministers of Cuba, Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz and Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin Friday signed a new defense cooperation agreement in Havana as well as six other treaties in the fields of technology, aviation, medicine and railroad transport.

• Saturday, December 10th 2016 - 12:30 UTC

  Santander announces new investment in Mexico's banking market

  

  Banco Santander has announced plans to invest 15 billion pesos ($735 million) in Mexico over the next three years despite market uncertainty as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration draws nearer.